Language Blog

Our language talk page is for you to enjoy using to help build your vocabulary, skills and knowledge. Subscribe to the blog and receive interesting and varied articles about the English language, British culture and what's going on in London. Read our Language Tips and pass them on to friends and colleagues, they're full of useful points.

Hello! This week I want to check that you’ve remembered and understood the adjectives for people from my last two posts. So, have a look at the words below and choose the best set of synonyms for them:

This week I’ll be introducing seven words which are used literally to describe physical properties and metaphorically to informally describe different types of people. Again, they’re all words which my non-British friend wishes she’d known before moving here! But a word of warning – none of them is very complimentary!

I’ve just been to Portugal for a few days of winter sun and was amused when I saw these holiday makers dressed as Santas. It reminded me that with Christmas just around the corner, all over Britain people will be dressing up for pantomimes. In the festive season, the pantomime, or ‘panto’ as most people call it, is performed in theatres everywhere. So, what is a panto? In brief, it’s a fun show aimed at children. It apparently originated in Italy and came to England in the 17th Century, we immediately took it to our hearts and it has remained a quintessential part of British Christmas ever since.